Post by darbyfamily on Aug 25, 2010 17:04:49 GMT -5

We have a Dexter cow, about 20 mths old. Not sure if she is bred or not, if she is, she wouldn't be more than a few months along, but she is looking a bit bloated and is drooling heavily, long stretchy foamy drool. Occasionally arches her back as if in labor, and is peeing constantly as she strains. She hasn't had anything new or unusual to eat lately, has has plenty of fresh clean water to drink and none of the other cows are acting funny at all.

The only thing I can think of different for her is that we threw a 5 gallon bucket of apples that were going too soft for me to use for canning, over the fence for them to eat. I don't even know if she has actually eaten any of them.

Post by frogHOLR on Aug 25, 2010 18:26:55 GMT -5

My first thought would be that she has an apple lodged in her throat somehow. That could cause her to stretch her neck/back, make her drool more, and give her a bit of a bloated appearance if she's having trouble moving air out of her belly. Can you get her in a stanchion and take a look in her mouth? Maybe tie a stick in her mouth (like a bit in a horse) and then run your hand past it to see if you can feel anything in there? If not, see about running your hands from her sternum up her neck (following her esophagus) to see if you can feel any un-natural lumps in there?

Post by darbyfamily on Aug 25, 2010 18:45:37 GMT -5

She is not particularly tame, but we got her on a lead and got her put in the corral. She seems to be drooling less but does have a bit of scours now.

We really had to chase her to get her into the corral. Think 6 people side by side with sticks in our hands making a moving fence to guide her into the corral... but we got her in!

I tried putting out some grain with some baking soda in it just because I know thats what you do for goats... but not entirely sure its bloat or what it is. Her left side is definitely sticking out further (left as I stand behind her looking toward her head)

Once she calms down a bit from the ruckus of catching her, I'll check her out and see if its the apple thing.

so far shes still very alert and not acting overly sick, just not quite herself still.

Jennifer... wife to Chasemom to 8 and one on the way provider of sweet feed to1 midsize jersey-Camilla1 mini jersey bull- Todd1 mid mini jersey heifer-Buttercup7 Nubian goat milkers2 Nubian herd siresa passel of chickens, two great pyrenees boys and one malti-poo

Post by darbyfamily on Aug 26, 2010 10:19:16 GMT -5

We moved all of the apples.

She is doing great! I guess chasing her around the pasture to get her caught dislodged whatever was stuck... that and that my dh got a halter on her again, but that was a wrestling match, so she was really moving around and agitated.

So the bloat went away, I could count ribs again, and she is grazing in the back like normal.

That was a very close call!

Jennifer... wife to Chasemom to 8 and one on the way provider of sweet feed to1 midsize jersey-Camilla1 mini jersey bull- Todd1 mid mini jersey heifer-Buttercup7 Nubian goat milkers2 Nubian herd siresa passel of chickens, two great pyrenees boys and one malti-poo

Post by Kathleen (Southforte Farms) on Aug 26, 2010 13:54:51 GMT -5

so how does one feed apples to cows? cut them up? how big is too big to be safe?

I'm terrified to give Tink anything fresh now!

Mom to 4 hooligans, 9,7,6 and 3...Violinist...Beginner farmwife to a handsome farmer...Jake the Black Labrador...Chickens and Gardens...Bream and Bass in the pond...Tinkerbell the milking Jersey...Calf due November 2010 !!

Post by Melissa (Nonesuch Farm) on Aug 26, 2010 20:47:40 GMT -5

I remember Tabitha's cow last year with the apple... I cut apples and carrots and anything else bigger than a bite that goes to the cows or horses... feed whole stuff to the pigs. It may be rare for a cow or horse to choke but once is all it takes to kill... very hard to get something back out of an animals throat.

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